Elixir Standard Library
Elixir Standard Library[edit]
The Elixir Standard Library is a core part of the Elixir programming language. It provides a wide range of modules and functions that are available out-of-the-box for Elixir developers to use in their applications. These modules cover various areas such as data structures, file handling, string manipulation, process management, and more.
Data Structures[edit]
The Elixir Standard Library offers a diverse set of data structures that are commonly used in Elixir programming, including:
- Agent: A simple and convenient way to manage state within Elixir applications.
- Dict: A key-value data structure implemented as an ordered list of key-value pair entries.
- List: Provides functions for working with lists, such as appending, prepending, filtering, and more.
- Map: An unordered key-value store with constant time access for reading, updating, and deleting keys.
- Queue: A FIFO (First-In-First-Out) data structure for managing a collection of elements.
File Handling[edit]
The Elixir Standard Library includes modules for various file operations, making it easy to work with files and directories:
- File: Provides functions for reading, writing, and manipulating files on the filesystem.
- File.Stream: A module for reading files as streams, allowing efficient processing of large files.
- Path: Functions for working with file paths, including path concatenation, expansion, and manipulation.
String Manipulation[edit]
Manipulating and transforming strings is made simple with the help of the Elixir Standard Library's string modules:
- String: Provides a comprehensive set of functions for working with and manipulating strings.
- String.Chars: Implements the `to_string/1` protocol and provides functions for generating and parsing strings.
- StringIO: A module for creating and manipulating in-memory strings as if they were files.
Process Management[edit]
Managing concurrent processes and leveraging Elixir's lightweight concurrency model becomes easier with the Elixir Standard Library's process-specific modules:
- Task: A module for managing and executing asynchronous tasks concurrently.
- GenServer: An OTP behavior that allows you to define servers with a standardized API and built-in error handling and state management.
- Registry: Provides a centralized registry for named processes, allowing efficient process lookups by name.
Additional Modules[edit]
In addition to the above-mentioned modules, the Elixir Standard Library contains many more modules that serve various purposes:
- DateTime: Provides functions for working with date and time values.
- Enum: Offers a comprehensive set of functions for working with enumerables such as lists, maps, and streams.
- IO: A module for performing input and output operations, including reading from and writing to streams.
For a complete list of modules and functions available in the Elixir Standard Library, refer to the official Elixir documentation.